Stay
by Shnook19
Summary: With only a few days left until Watson leaves Sherlock is trying to convince her to stay. But who for; herself or for him?
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note: I don't own Elementary or any of it's characters. **

**This is taken from the last scene of episode 11, it doesn't follow it to the T but you get the picture. **

**I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

"I took another job this morning, I work with other therapists and I was referred to another client so I'll be starting with him next week after you and I wrap up"

"I see"

My mouth tightened. '_Wrap up? That was it? The adventure I had shown her- I'd given her a new lease of life! She didn't want to be a sober companion; it was her penance for killing a man. She wanted this! The cases, the exhilaration and danger.' _

"You Ok?"

'_No' _

"My dear Watson, whenever am I not"

_'She can't walk away from this. Talking to her mother and garnering her approval should have solved this. If Watson was desperate for anything it was her mother's approval.' _

It seemed Watson had surprised me again.

She had shot down my idea of telling my father that I still needed her. If I fell off the wagon to keep her here and she found out the reason, she would probably murder me.

She had been around me long enough that she would get away with it too.


	2. Four days left

**Thanks for all the reviews and favourites! Also, thank you for being so patient!**

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**Four days left...**

"I made you tea"

"Thank you, Sherlock"

She hadn't noticed the apartment yet. It would take her halfway through her cup of tea; about the time the caffeine took to kick in.

"What are you doing?"

"Playing a game"

"Yes, I can see that, I meant why?"

"Then ask why"

She sighed, "Why Sherlock?"

"It's called Call of Duty-"

"I asked why, not what it's called" she replied tartly

I smiled, "Touché, nevertheless it's a first person shooter; it improves my eyesight and reflexes- most important for what we do"

Watson just nodded and drank a large mouthful of tea. She swallowed it and looked around.

"The apartment...it's clean"

I took out a fictional enemy with a headshot and smiled up at her.

"What did you do?"

I snorted derisively, "I cleaned the apartment"

She sighed again, "Yes, but why?"

I reigned in the urge to tell her she should have asked that first, she was always grumpy in the morning.

"I thought you would appreciate it"

"I do, thank you, it's just a bit strange"

"Yes, well I imagine that this is the first time you haven't had to clean"

She snorted, "Yeah"

Her eyes narrowed on the screen, "May I have a turn?"

"There's another controller, we'll play together"

She set her tea down and picked up the other controller.

"You'll have to teach me the controls"

"Watch me play and watch my hands"

"You could just tell me"

I shrugged, "Think of it as an exercise in memory"

"Fine, but I'm playing it for fun, not to hone skills I won't be using"

"If you say so, Watson"

* * *

**A few hours later...**

"Do we have a new case?" Watson pointed to the files spread around me

"No, cold case"

Her face lit with interest. Would she really deny herself this?

"What's it about?"

"A woman's disappearance, mother of two, doting wife- all very boring until you look beneath the surface- came from multiple foster homes, juvie record and reformed coke addict"

"How long ago did she disappear?"

"A year ago"

"Did she have a relapse?"

"Doesn't say, it's a possibility, however"

Watson nodded slightly, "You don't sound sure"

I nodded, "She came from multiple foster homes, you and I know what that could mean, I don't think that this woman would have left her children of her own free will, therefore I believe that she was taken and the fact that she has been gone for this long suggests that she was murdered"

Watsons face tightened with anger. She sat cross-legged next to me, her eyes searching the files.

"She knew what it felt like to be abandoned and as you said she wouldn't want her children to feel that" Watsons tone was solemn as she spoke.

She looked at me, "What's the husband like?"

"Boring, he didn't do it"

That earned me an eye roll.

"My money is on someone from her past"

Watson plucked the juvie record off the floor, "Jessica Handell, arrested for possession of class A drugs and underage soliciting"

Watson swallowed.

"Her former best friend was also arrested, we should start their"

"Jessica turned her life around Sherlock, she came back from the bottom we have to find her"

I nodded, "Remember Watson, it's more than likely that we will find only a body"

"Then her killer needs to be caught and her family should know the truth"


	3. Cross

**Sorry about the late update. This chapters a bit longer though! Enjoy :)**

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Gregson was angry.

"Where did you get that cold case from?"

"Wherever you keep them" I flapped my hand disinterestedly at him

"You shouldn't have it, it's police property!"

"Well, you're not doing anything with it, so I don't see the harm"

Gregson rubbed his forehead- on coming headache- his shoulders were tight with tension- but from what? Oh wait, me.

"Do not expect our co operation on this Sherlock," his shoulders dropped, "I'd ask for it back but I know that won't happen"

"Quite right," I turned to beam at Watson whom had been watching the exchange quietly, "Come along Watson, were off to see her best friend"

* * *

"Where the hell are we?"

"Oh, I believe this is one of the seedier parts of New York, Watson"

"When you said her best friend, you didn't mean from her new life did you?"

"No, I meant from her young, drug addled days"

Watson took a deep breath, "Great"

"Don't look so nervous Watson, you stick out like a sore thumb"

I watched faintly amused as Watson squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. In a top and skirt, she may garner unwanted attention and the wrong idea.

'_Ah, that didn't take long'_

Two young men stepped from the shadows of a pawn shop.

"How much?"

Watson turned to them, "Excuse me?"

They ignored her and kept their eyes on me.

"How much for a night?"

Watson looked at me, "Sherlock, what are they talking about?"

"I believe that they think you're a prostitute"

Watsons face turned an interesting shade of red. She quickly looked down at her outfit and grimaced.

She turned to the men, "I'm not a prostitute"

Simultaneously, they looked her up and down.

"Maybe you should be" the younger of the two leered

I placed my hand on the small of Watson's back and motioned her along. The men stepped back into the shadows.

"Were never going to speak of what just happened, ever, alright Sherlock?"

I chuckled, "Of course, Watson"

After a few moments of walking in silence, while Watson tried to tug her skirt down, we arrived at a small house.

Unkempt garden. Broken toy. Dark windows.

Watson tapped the door, her eyes lingered on the broken toy. The door opened a minute later, a small girl peered up at us. An uneasy feeling grew in my stomach.

Watson crouched until she was eye level with the girl.

"Hey, is your mom in?"

The girl looked at her shrewdly, "Are you cops?"

Watson blinked taken aback, "No"

"Were friends" I cut in

The girl looked up at me, her fingers tightened on the door frame, "It's out of hours"

Watson inhaled sharply. I ignored her for the moment; though it seemed her intuition was correct. The girl wasn't even over seven years old and she knew her mother's profession.

"We just want to talk"

The girl held up a finger, silently telling us to stay put and trotted down the hallway. I could detect a whispered conversation but not what was being said.

A moment later a thin woman shuffled to the door. The girl watched from the hallway.

"Do you remember this woman?" Watson shoved the photograph of the missing mother in the woman's face. Watson definitely didn't like her.

The woman blinked and frowned.

"She looks like Jess... but better"

"Jess, as in your former best friend and reformed junkie?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded, looked me over and licked her lips.

I carried on, "She cut contact with you eight years ago, yes?" I asked but didn't let her finish, "I'm willing to bet that's when she found out you were pregnant, am I correct in believing you're a prostitute?"

She nodded.

"Am I correct in saying that you were a junkie and still are?" She flushed but nodded. Her daughter shuffled her feet nervously.

"So, pregnant and using, Jess gave you two choices; give up the drugs and your profession and keep your child or carry on as you were and lose her"

"How did you know-"

"You did neither, instead you chose the selfish option"

"Get out"

"When was the last time you saw Jess?"

"You just said she cut contact with me eight years-"

"Yes, but judging by the cross around your daughters neck-white gold- too expensive for you to purchase, what's surprising is that you haven't pawned it; suggesting that it has sentimental value, it's not the father, you don't know who that is-"

"Sherlock!"

I met Watson's glare and then her pointed look to the young girl trying not to cry at the end of the hall. Watson brushed past us, ignoring the mother's squawk of protest and knelt before the girl. They talked briefly before the child led Watson into her bedroom.

Amazing, she had gained a child's trust in seconds.

"I saw her a year ago, she was clean she tried to talk me into it, she left when I refused but she gave Kaitlin her cross"

"A year ago, she disappeared a week after that"

"I didn't have anything to do with it"

I nodded, "Maybe not, did you mention to anyone that you had seen her?"

"No, when she left eight years ago, Richie wasn't happy"

"Her pimp?"

"Both of ours"

"Thank you for your time, I recommend getting clean, it's working for me so far"

I too brushed past her, she huffed but didn't stop me, I knocked on Kaitlin's door . Watson opened it holding the child's hand.

How long had she been in there? Two minutes, and she had already bonded with her. How did she do that? She turned to her, "Remember you have my number"

* * *

"I wanted to take the girl, Sherlock"

"I see"

"I asked her if she wanted to leave she said no, she wants to save her mother"

"You did what you could"

"No, I could have called child services"

"So could have Jessica but we both know why she didn't, despite all Kaitlin's mother loves her- the cross proves that"

She nodded but still looked unsure. A change of topic would remedy that.

"Were going to see Richie the pimp"

Watson groaned, "Can I change first?"

"No," I smirked, "I find your attire quite appropriate"

"Did you just call me a prostitute?"

I laughed, "No, it's necessarily your outfit, you're an attractive woman with confidence- that's what pulls the punters in"

"I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted"

"Be whatever you want Watson, but I need you with me for this"

"Is it the drugs?"

"Yes, drugs have revolved around this case and it is becoming trying on my willpower"

"I'll be there every step of the way"

"For the next four days anyway, Watson"

She flinched slightly at the brusque tone.

"You'll be ok, Sherlock"

_Yes, but will you?_


End file.
